Knowledge
Performance in Polo
Photograph by Emily Gordon
Jason Warren is a performance coach, helping professional polo players and athletes redefine their season by thinking outside the box through their mental and physical performance on and off the field
Who Is Ready For The Season?
feel buzzing for polo and believe you could make it to 10 goals, the next day you’re giving up and staring at your feet, shaking your head. Energy can be split into physical and mental energy, but I believe they come hand in hand. Energy gives motivation and sustainability throughout a season. Who doesn’t need that in a long season of playing polo and all that comes with it… photoshoots, press releases, signing autographs etc., you know how polo can be. Here are some things to consider during a season:
Maximising mental & physical energy
Photograph by Fiona Warren Photography
Energy, both mental and physical, is crucial to performance
What are you looking forward to most about the season? Do you want the season of a lifetime or are you just happy to be able to play? I’m excited to be writing this article as we close in on an “on-time season”. Although I won’t be counting my chickens just yet… 64
Polo Times, April 2021
With all the electrifying feelings of the upcoming season, let’s talk about ENERGY. Do you feel energised or knackered during a season? I imagine it’s a bit of both, life is a game of up and downs (especially in polo). One day you
Mental Energy The brain uses up 20-25% of your overall energy. Therefore, allocating time is important during a season. Are you running around trying to get everything sorted and reacting to everything going on? Or are you in-control dictating your moves, focused on what you are doing at that time? A polo season can be all consuming with games, riding young ones, vets, farriers, socialising, organising teams, things breaking and so on. This can have a detrimental effect on your mental energy (you become absolutely cooked). How to counteract this? I believe planning is key, seasonal, weekly, and daily planning can help you to save mental energy and help you to feel in control. It does not require much time but can have a significant impact on your energy and mental performance. Here are some ideas on planning: • When you wake up – get everything down on paper. This means you no longer need to think about it, saving you mental energy! • In fact, get everything down on paper full stop. If you think about something write it in your phone or on paper. That way it’s out of your head and you can come back to it. • Time block the day hourly, it only takes a few mins and can really help you mentally. I like to write a to-do list and time blocks. www.polotimes.co.uk
